Cleaning device



Feb. 20, 1940/ w. J. TURPIN 2,191,243

CLEANING DEVICE Filed May 21. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 PIE: 1

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I INYENTUR [JILLIFJP] JOSEPH TURPIN- ZZjW HTTEIRNE I E 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Feb. 20, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT FiCE CLEANING DEVICE WilliamJoseph Turpin, Santa Ana, Calif.

Application May 21, 1937, Serial No. 144,189

2 Claims. (01. 141-4 This invention relates to improvements in cleaningdevices and has particular reference to a device for cleaning meters,such as gas meters, which become coated with sediment, tar, oil 5 andother greases which interfere with their proper functioning. r i

A further object is to produce a device of this character wherein ameter of any sizemay be cleaned thoroughly, economically, and without 0introducing any hazard to the operator. T

A further object is to produce a device of this character which may bereadily placed in any location where such work is to be done.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame, i

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my meter cleaning trough and tray;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of. Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailedcross sectional View taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view of one of the cleaningnozzles; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a meter, showing the top and valvechamber cover removed.

The ordinary gas meter is so constructed that 30 it is necessary fromtime to time to clean the interior of the meter in order to removesediment and other foreign matter, which interferes with the properfunctioning of the meter. It is necessary to employ a solvent todissolve the deposit 5 in the meter.

I have, therefore, devised an arrangement 'whereby a solvent is forciblyejected into and through the meter, and then the meter is given ascrubbing operation, whereby all solvent employed is recovered.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illstration isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates atable in which is mounted a trough 6 and a tray l. The tray 1 has asupport 8 which is slotted so as to slidably hold a series of washernozzles 9 and H, and I2 and i3. These nozzles are connected, by flexiblepipes 14 to an air line IS. A circulating pump is shown at IT, having 0a discharge pipe !8, emptying into the tray l, and

having an end l9 secured to a flexible hose 2| i which may be used forsucking up any cleaning solvent which may have remained in the meterafter the same has been cleaned. A brush 22 is rotated on a verticalspindle 23, which is driven through a reduction gear by the motor 2 3.The

nozzles 9 and l l are adapted to engage inlet and outlet pipes of themeter; and one of these nozzles is shown in Fig. 4, where it will benoted that the jet 26 discharges into the nozzle; and as a t9 and IIwill engage the inlet and outlet pipes of the meter, while the nozzle 92will enter the valve chamber, and the nozzle it will enter the interiorof the meter.

The operation of my deviceis as follows:

Assuming that the cover of the meter and the valve chamber have beenunsoldered and removed, the meter is turned upside down, the airpressure turned on, and the solvent will then be forced upwardly throughall of the nozzles into and through the meter, thus removing any depositwhich may have accumulated therein. The meter is now moved to the trough6, the rotary brush 22 being rotated in the meter as the same is moved.thereover. This brush tends to remove any further deposit which might beretained; and if the solvent has not entirely left the meter through itsupside down. draining action during the scrubbing and brushingoperation, then the end E9 of the flexible hose 2! ,may be inserted inthe meter; and as the pump 61 is operating, anyremaining solvent will bewithdrawn. Also any solvent in the trough will be withdrawn anddischarged into the tray.

It will thus be seen that I have produced a device which. will cleanmeters most eifectively.

It is to be understood that the form of my in,- vention herewith shownand described is tobe taken as a. preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the material, size shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

a compressed air line connected to said nozzles within the solution inthe tray element, whereby the solvent solution will be forced outthrough said nozzles by said compressed air. n

2. In a device of the character described, comprising a tray elementadapted to retain a solvent solution, a horizontal support arranged insaid tray element below its upper end and having a slot therein, fournozzles horizontally'ada'ustable .in said slot independent of eachother, the two outside nozzles terminating below the upper end of thetray element, and the two inside nozzles terminating above the trayelement, and a compressed air line connected to the said nozzles withinthe solution in the tray element, whereby the solvent solution will beforced out through said nozzles by said compressed air.

WILLIAM JOSEPH TURPIN;

